Bodyguard Principles: Protection and Operational Planning
Bodyguard Principles: Protection and Operational Planning. By Frank Sciacca, Jr.; published by Infinity Publishing; 275 pages; $21.95.
In the world of personal protection, the main objective is the preservation of the client’s life and well-being. Anyone looking for a comprehensive guide to this evolving career path need look no further than this book. A thorough and well-developed work, Bodyguard Principles should appeal to a variety of readers.
It’s not okay to just call yourself a bodyguard and put out a shingle. In many circles, in fact, using the term “bodyguard” connotes a lack of professionalism. Gone are the days when size mattered; cognitive skills now trump sheer brawn. It’s the knowledge and experience that count, and this book delivers on the knowledge front.
Author Frank Sciacca, Jr., an experienced protection professional and instructor, organizes the text into well-written and exceptionally documented chapters. In systematic fashion, readers navigate the inner workings of the profession.
Outlining the many facets of personal protection, the author provides specific information on performing job-related tasks, communicating effectively, and planning strategically.
Bodyguard Principles stresses how security and investigation are synergistic. Each chapter emphasizes the rationale behind, and the importance of, training. Sciacca supports his points with lessons learned via personal experiences, which forcefully drive his messages home. Most impressive are the minutiae Sciacca has mastered and manages to convey to the reader.
It should be noted that the book’s publisher, Infinity Publishing, touts itself as a “self publishing system.” In other words, the book is self-published. Nonetheless, it is professionally presented, and the content is a far cry from the typical self-serving pabulum churned out by vanity presses.
Not everything here is new—many of the principles have been well discussed in earlier books—but Sciacca offers a fresh take, building on basic tenets with his advanced teachings. As such, this book is a valuable tool for all levels of protection professionals.
Reviewer: Det. Sgt. Brian L. Royster is a detective with the Organized Crime Bureau of the New Jersey State Police. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the FBI/LEEDA (Law Enforcement Executive Development Association) Command Institute for Law Enforcement Executives, and a member of ASIS International.
